A lawyer for Jersey City Police Chief Robert Cowan told The Jersey Journal today that Cowan's impending demotion is an act of political retaliation on behalf of Mayor Steve Fulop.

"My client is the subject of retribution," attorney Shelley L. Stangler said in City Hall this afternoon after a brief meeting between Cowan, Fulop and Public Safety Director James Shea. "He's the subject of retaliation for resisting and opposing the mayor's efforts to do things which we believe are illegal."

Fulop, who said he's demoting Cowan for standing in the way of new initiatives that include taking the internal affairs department out of the chief's control, met with Cowan in his office. Cowan had requested a hearing in front of the City Council, which could reverse Fulop's decision, but Fulop refused.

Stangler said any effort to take internal investigations away from the chief is contrary to state statute. Asked to name the statute, Stangler said she couldn't cite it off the top of her head.

N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 gives police chiefs the power to run the day-to-day operations of police departments.

Stangler added that Fulop wants Cowan removed so he can put Shea – Fulop's "buddy," she said – in charge of internal affairs.

Fulop told The Jersey Journal that Cowan "has a very vivid imagination."

"When you look at the facts, and the allegations of the chief threatening and meeting with a police officer at 3 a.m. in a cemetery, I think any reasonable person would say that that's concerning," Fulop said.

The mayor was referring to a lawsuit threat by Sgt. Anthony Musante, who claims Cowan asked to meet with him in December at Bayside Park, near a cemetery, to confront Musante about an investigation into Cowan that predated his promotion to chief.

"We think this is in the best interest of the city," Fulop said.

Asked to respond to Stangler's claims that putting Shea in charge of internal affairs would be illegal, Fulop said he is "confident" that city's shake-up of the public safety department is "consistent with best practices."

Late last month, Fulop made the stunning announcement that he planned to demote Cowan, citing Cowan's alleged obstruction of administration initiatives as well as the numerous legal actions facing Cowan, many of which accuse the chief of political retaliation.

The news was shocking not just because Cowan only became chief in October, but because he was a strong Fulop supporter during last year's mayoral race, raising campaign cash and getting out the vote.

Cowan stood by Stangler's side today outside the mayor's office after the meeting, which lasted only a few minutes. Asked if Cowan had anything to say on his own behalf, Stangler said, "No."